Poetry, prose, spirituality, and art: A Portfolio

Author: Tahni J. Nikitins

In the summer of 2015 I graduated from the University of Oregon with a BA in Comparative Literature and Creative Writing. My specializations in comp lit were culture and language, focusing on Scandinavian literature and language. I completed my specialization at the University of Uppsala in Sweden where I studied Swedish language, history, art, music, and literature. In creative writing I focused in fiction, but I am attempting to dip my toes into the world of slam poetry and spoken word.
My publication history includes poetry, essays, short fiction and reviews at Eternal Haunted Summer (http://eternalhauntedsummer.com/), A Monologue for Jocasta published in Unbound (https://unboundjournal.wordpress.com/), a poem in Lilith: Queen of the Desert (http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/anya-kless/lilith-queen-of-the-desert/paperback/product-11783698.html) and a short story to be published in Good Mourning Media's upcoming collection, Unconventional Love (http://goodmourningmedia.com/).

D___ She sings of coffee— But I’ve written this poem before— All black and softly steaming— Only it was years ago, I’m sure— And creamy swirling, a kaleidoscopic cloud— There was a time before that, even then— And bitter brown upon the tongue— If I might return, just once again— Slowly waking, rising sun— I […]

October 20, 2014 During one of my visits to domkyrkan (the beautiful church-museum hybrid) I circled slowly through the displays of old, religious art that fills the area immediately behind the altar, at the foot of the immense crucifix hanging from the ceiling on thick cables. Several of these statues depict women. None of them […]

L_____ “Can I look at your eyes?” She asks, leaning forward to peer In at the dilating pupil, the rippled iris And saying, “Your eyes are so beautiful” Examining like they’re powdered moth’s wings While hers are corrugated blue-gray-green Flecked here and there by shards of golden brown Opaque silver And behind them she is […]

I should note that I don’t recall the details of the challenge that lead to the writing/illustrating of this particular series of events, but it appears to have happened so here it is. October 8, 2014 I had been escorted to the gasque by a lovely young gentleman who knew that part of town better […]

L____ How do you call yourself My sister, my priestess Who pressed into my palm This cold rough stone To be made hot by the blood of my flesh Smooth by the oil of my skin Heavy with the weight of my mind Then broken— How do you call yourself My sister My priestess You, […]

Reading through all this stuff again is making me really miss Sweden. Even the panic-inducing bureaucratic parts. September 29, 2014 Due to the fact that my decision letter was written entirely in Swedish, I couldn’t read it right away. After a sufficient amount of panicking I came back to the dorm and turned to Google […]